Chapter 59 She used to be so lovely, but now...
Outside, the wind and rain intensified.
The wind howled through the corridor, causing the woman to stagger and sway precariously.
Looking through the window paper, it looked like a thin piece of paper, about to be torn to shreds.
Wei Zhang looked at the slender figure, his hand clenched tightly beneath his dark sleeves. "If you don't know you're wrong, then go far away and don't get in my way."
The sound wasn't loud, but it carried immense pressure, easily penetrating Xue Lanyi's back.
Xue Lanyi offered no explanation and continued walking up the steps.
There were clearly many paths she could take, and further on were the sheltered pavilion and the side rooms, but she chose to step into the rain.
By this time, the torrential rain had been raging for a long time, and the water level was above ankle-deep.
The yard was full of filthy mud pits.
She was pounded by large raindrops mixed with icicles, a dense, stinging pain, but she quickly got used to it and became numb to it.
At that moment, she would rather stand in the rain than stand under his eaves.
She desperately needed the rain to wash away the repulsive scent he left on her.
She also needed the rain to shield her from the rain, so that she could freely express her emotions without worrying about what Wei Zhang might guess or think.
Xue Lanyi slowly walked down to the gardenia tree, looked up at the vast rain curtain, her expression a mixture of crying and laughing.
Her clothes, which she had just changed into, were soaked again, weighing heavily on her small frame and bending her slender waist.
Lightning flashed around her again and again, but she no longer felt afraid.
"My lord, the young lady cannot withstand such a downpour!"
Grandma Liu suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
It was Xue Lanyi's cry of "Mother!" that stirred up her maternal love for her missing daughter.
Today, she actually considers herself Xue Lanyi's mother.
She suddenly pushed open the study door, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed repeatedly: "Lord Duke, the young lady just now..."
Behind the screen, the imposing figure of the tall, slender man exerted a powerful aura, which helped Granny Liu regain some of her senses.
She dared not say that the young lady had gotten soaked in the rain for the young master, and her tongue was twitching. "The young lady is usually afraid of thunder and lightning. This time, she ran into the rain like this. She must have been wronged and has nowhere to defend herself!"
"Please, Your Excellency, have mercy on the young lady!"
"Please, Your Excellency, do not let the young lady suffer such hardship!"
Wei Zhang's eyes suddenly turned cold.
She endured the hardships and tribulations of life because she was arrogant and deliberately brought trouble upon herself.
The servants follow their masters' example, losing all sense of propriety and decorum.
"Shadow Seven!"
Wei Zhang narrowed his eyes, his expression chilling.
In an instant, a knife was placed in front of Granny Liu's neck.
Yingqi covered Granny Liu's mouth and dragged her towards the hidden woodshed.
Inside Chong'an Hall, cries, shouts, and the dark, burgeoning anger mingled together, gathering above the four courtyards.
Just as the mountain rain was about to fall, the wind filled the tower.
Not far away, on the observatory, the light rain stopped and gently tapped on the vermilion railings.
This is the highest point in the Duke's mansion, from which one can clearly see the woman swaying in the wind beside the gardenia tree.
Gardenias fluttered all around her, gently covering her body and hair.
The scene of white petals fluttering and swirling in the air resembled some kind of festival.
Pei Xiuyuan silently observed the scene from afar. Suddenly, something occurred to him, and his hand, which was holding a Bodhi seed, paused slightly. After a moment, he began to caress it thoughtfully again.
Each bodhi seed, which should be pure and flawless, is carved with delicate little orchids.
He stroked each one, saying, "You always wanted to go to the Star-Picking Tower to see the scenery, but actually the view from this Star-Picking Tower in the Duke's Mansion is not bad either."
Back then, the old Duke of Zhenguo and the late emperor had gone through thick and thin together and shared a deep bond.
After the late emperor built the Star-Picking Tower in the palace, he specially dispatched craftsmen to the Duke's Mansion to build an equally magnificent pavilion there, only this palace pavilion was three stories shorter.
Everyone knows that there is a Star-Picking Tower in the palace that pierces the clouds, like a pavilion in the sky that people yearn for.
Little did they know, the tallest pavilion could only offer views of the clouds above.
The pavilion in the Duke's mansion, which connects to the heavens above and the mortal world below, is the truly unique and beautiful spot in this middle ground.
Looking down at the magnificent rain scene, Pei Xiuyuan's voice became even softer, "Does Lan'er like the scenery here?"
He was talking to himself.
The drizzle fell softly on the railing, making a soft, rhythmic sound, but there was no response.
The old butler crouched down and stepped forward, saying, "Madam loved climbing to high places and looking out. If she were still alive, she would definitely love the scenery here."
Pei Xiuyuan hummed in agreement. "Then we can visit the Duke of Wei more often in the future, and bring Lan'er here to enjoy the scenery more often, shall we?"
After he finished speaking, the surroundings remained quiet.
Pei Xiuyuan's eyes gradually dimmed.
After a long silence, he gathered his thoughts and let out a barely audible sigh, "Where will the Duke's mansion hold its banquet tonight?"
"The Duke has sent word... there will be no banquet tonight."
The old butler and Pei Xiuyuan exchanged a surprised glance.
Today is Wei Zhang's succession banquet, and with envoys also present, the occasion cannot be less than important.
Moreover, I've heard that tonight, Lord Shen Jinglan will be representing His Majesty to discuss the matter of promoting him to Grand Secretary.
After his leave of absence, Wei Zhang secretly made many moves in order to force the emperor to compromise and relinquish the position of Grand Secretary.
Why did Wei Zhang suddenly close his doors to visitors at the crucial moment of drafting the imperial edict?
This is unlike the style of the Duke of Wei, who never missed the morning court session.
Pei Xiuyuan was completely baffled and looked suspiciously toward Chong'an Hall.
In a secluded two-story pavilion of Chong'an Hall, a figure in black stood with his hands behind his back, under the short eaves.
Rainwater streamed down the eaves in a continuous line, forming a curtain of rain that obscured Wei Zhang's face, making his expression indiscernible. However, one could vaguely see that he was staring intently in the same direction.
He was an extremely alert person, yet at this moment he seemed completely unaware that Pei Xiuyuan was looking at him.
They didn't even notice the wind and rain sweeping across the rooftop, their fluttering clothes soaked with rainwater, almost soaking half their bodies.
He remained motionless, his gaze fixed intently on the girl beneath the gardenia tree.
"The girl has fainted! The girl has fainted!"
Suddenly, shouts came from the courtyard.
He subconsciously took a step forward, barely stepping out of the rain curtain, the rainwater pouring onto his hair.
The Duke of Wei, who was extremely particular about his appearance, was soaked to the bone in the icy rain.
Although his posture remained upright and dignified, a rare look of worry appeared on his face.
His eyes narrowed more and more, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper, as if he were about to rush down from the attic.
That was a panic that had never been seen in the imperial court.
Below the pavilion, Xue Lanyi collapsed in a rain of white petals, which swirled and fell upon her slender figure, burying her.
"Where is the Duke? Where did the Duke go?"
"My aunt isn't feeling well. Should we take her back to her room? Should we call a doctor?"
Several maids and servants surrounded them.
The group had not seen the Duke for a long time, and dared not leave his concubine out in the rain to die.
The courtyard was bustling with noise.
On the attic, rainwater from the roof tiles fell onto Wei Zhang's body like a broken string, dripping down his sharp chin.
He was completely unaware, his steps faltering as he took them.
"Send the concubine to the side room first, and then fetch Doctor Zhang and his wife!"
Unable to find his master, Qingyang made the decision himself.
The unconscious Xue Lanyi was carried into the corridor.
On the second floor, Wei Zhang slowly retreated to the eaves, his gaze lingering before he turned and left...
Pei Xiuyuan looked at the myriad lives unfolding in the courtyard, twirling his prayer beads and murmuring, "One reaps what one sows, just as a shadow follows its own form."
The so-called cycle of cause and effect means that everyone living in this world has their own karmic burdens.
In the past, when he discussed Buddhism with Wei Zhang, Wei Zhang often likened himself to a rootless duckweed, unburdened by any constraints.
It now seems that Wei Zhang could not escape the laws of the world.
I wonder how I will reap the bitter fruit of this sowing?
That's all.
This matter has nothing to do with him.
He too has his own karma to atone for.
Pei Xiuyuan withdrew his gaze, his eyes turning cold. "We must keep a close eye on my aunt in the Western Territory. We should try to find the whereabouts of the former Crown Prince as soon as possible."
Now that Wei Zhang has dealt with Xiao Cheng's marriage, he will likely focus all his efforts on suppressing the former Crown Prince's faction.
Pei Xiuyuan appeared to be close to the old lady, but in reality, he had already secretly reached a cooperation agreement with Wei Zhang.
Letting the old lady and Wei Xuan go earlier was just a long-term strategy to catch a big fish.
Now that he is in the same boat as Wei Zhang, he should naturally do everything in his power to keep a close eye on the treacherous officials.
Those below dared not relax either. The steward cupped his hands and said, "My lord, rest assured, preparations for tomorrow's wedding are underway in the western border. Everything is as usual. The eldest son is also staying peacefully in the deep mountains, saying he is in seclusion to recuperate his eyes."
Pei Xiuyuan hummed in agreement. “My aunt is proud and straightforward, but she’s not difficult to deal with. Just make sure the eldest young master doesn’t find out that we’re secretly watching them.”
"Your subordinates understand, and we dare not act rashly."
The old steward thought for a moment, then said, "Speaking of the eldest young master, six days ago he released a falcon out of the mountains. We guessed that he wanted to contact the late Crown Prince through the falcon, so we followed the falcon and rushed to Huacheng on the border, but unexpectedly..."
"The falcon suddenly changed course near Huacheng and headed towards the Western Qi capital." The old steward gave a meaningful look.
Based on the timeline, the day Falcon arrived in the capital was the same day Xiao Cheng decided to come to Dayong to marry Xue Lanyi.
Is there any connection between these two things?
The steward found it increasingly strange. "Should we report the matter of the falcon to the Duke of Wei?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a dark shadow fluttered past overhead.
Pei Xiuyuan looked up and saw an eagle soaring over the Duke's mansion, heading towards the post station.
A fierce eagle from the western border flew to Shengjing City. It was a fully recovered eagle, invincible in its path.
Pei Xiuyuan was genuinely curious about whether the dragon or the eagle was the true king of the skies.
After pondering for a long time, he lowered his hand and said, "The Duke of Wei only ordered us to monitor the eldest son and find the former crown prince. The rest is none of our business, so there is no need to trouble the Duke."
"Yes!" the butler replied softly.
At the same time, the eagle folded its wings and landed in front of the window of the Crown Prince of Xiqi, with a piece of poplar wood paper from the Western Region wrapped around its anklet.
...
Meanwhile, in the dormitory.
Behind the screen shrouded in mist.
Wei Zhang leaned back in the bathtub, his eyes slightly closed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
Two wisps of smoke rose from the Boshan incense burner on the windowsill, filling the room with the cool scent of pine.
The incense burned very strongly, its pungent aroma filling his nostrils. Wei Zhang took deep breaths, his hand resting on the edge of the bathtub, unconsciously stroking it.
I accidentally touched a string of fingernail marks on the wood, so small.
It must have been when Xue Lanyi bathed with him last time, out of fear, she secretly pinched the bath tub, leaving a dent.
In fact, when she took a bath with him last time, although she tried to remain calm, how could Wei Zhang not see that her body was stiff and she was on guard the whole time?
She wasn't like this before.
Amidst the ever-changing, thick and thin steam, Wei Zhang recalled the first time she bathed with him.
At that time, she had just become his woman, still naive and inexperienced, like a frightened little rabbit, curled up in a corner of the bathtub with her arms crossed, her wet eyes wary of him.
"Afraid of me?" Wei Zhang chuckled as he wiped himself down. "If you're afraid of me, why provoke me in the first place?"
"It's not fear! It's..."
Xue Lanyi bit her pink lips and frowned, as if she was making a great decision.
Wei Zhang was washing his arms as usual.
The girl's soft, fragrant body suddenly slipped into his arms like a fish.
She sat on his lap, her back pressed against his chest.
"Hide because you're shy, and you're shy because..."
Her long eyelashes drooped and trembled slightly, and there were teeth marks on her moist lips. "It's because I like him, I like Yun Jian."
Wei Zhang could see her flushed face and the expectant yet nervous smile on her lips from above.
Underwater, she quietly grasped his arm, pulling his stiff arm to her slender waist, making him wrap his arms around her.
Her soft fingers gently covered his hand, their fingers intertwined. "Yun Jian, if you hold me, I won't be afraid."
She used to be so lovely, shy yet passionate.
now……
In the rising steam, the corners of her delicate, upturned lips gradually drooped, and her face became haggard, resentful, and stubborn.
Despicable!
Wei Zhang suddenly opened his eyes, veins bulging on his temples. "Add some hot soup!"
A somber voice echoed in the room.
No one answered.
No one came stepping in from the other side of the screen.
Wei Zhang stared blankly at the screen for a long time, a look of astonishment flashing across his face.
There was a knock on the door.
His eyes shimmered.
Outside, the wind and rain howled, but Qingyang's voice came through, "Master, Lord Shen invites you to the palace. He says the Imperial Kitchen has just received a new batch of shad. Since the Duke has no intention of hosting a banquet at his residence, why not go and taste the culinary skills of the Imperial Chefs?"
Wei Zhang's thoughts were in turmoil. He frowned slightly and asked, "What did you say?"
"..." Qingyang was taken aback.
I have never seen the Duke so distracted by important matters of the court.
He bowed and reported again, "His Majesty wishes to invite the Duke to the palace to discuss drafting an imperial edict to promote him to Grand Secretary. Would you like to go to the palace?"
The affairs of the court have been in chaos recently, with no clear direction.
The Emperor and Shen Jinglan were more anxious for him to return than Wei Zhang was.
Wei Zhang has lingered in this position, which is just one step away from becoming the Grand Secretary, for far too long.
At such a crucial moment, he shouldn't be distracted by a woman.
Besides, she's a woman who's full of lies.
Thinking of that unrepentant face, Wei Zhang felt a surge of anger rising in his chest.
"Bring me your court robes."
Wei Zhang got up and splashed cold water on his face several times.
After a short while, Wei Zhang, dressed in a red robe with official rank and wearing a black cloak, pushed open the door to his bedroom.
The torrential rain had gradually subsided, and the post-rain wind was damp, sticky, and bone-chillingly cold.
He stood with his hands behind his back under the corridor, gazing into the distance for a long time, his eyes gradually turning as cold and gloomy as the dark clouds on the horizon.
"Cough! Cough!"
A few weak coughs came from the side room diagonally opposite.
The side room on the far right of the courtyard connects to the koi pond outside the courtyard.
On such a rainy day, the humidity is even higher, and water droplets cover the walls and wooden doors, soaking half of the wall.
In the corner, the light was dim, and the situation inside the room was unclear.
Only a thin silhouette could be vaguely seen reflected on the wet window paper, slumped on the couch.
He coughed a few times, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably, as if his bones were about to fall apart.
His expression was slightly tense, and his deep, expressionless features were intimidating.
The servants and maids waiting behind looked at each other in bewilderment.
Although Chong'an Hall is large, it is sparsely populated, and many rooms are vacant.
When the aunt suddenly fainted, they could only choose a room that was still passable to temporarily settle her in.
No one knew whether the Duke's expression was anger at the poor room they had arranged or anger at them for bringing his concubine back.
Finally, Qingyang crouched down and stepped forward, "Should I have someone move the concubine back to the master's room, so she can be warmer?"
"No need."
She's preoccupied with other people and things right now; she has no time to serve him.
He couldn't be bothered to look at her stubborn, defiant face.
Wei Zhang snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Just as I reached the hanging flower gate, I heard a sickly cough behind me again.
It's really noisy.
Wei Zhang glanced sideways and rebuked Qingyang, "This is the main courtyard. She is a concubine. Don't you know where a concubine should live?"
"Your subordinate..."
Before Qingyang could explain, Wei Zhang strode away.
Logically speaking, a concubine shouldn't live in the same courtyard as the master.
The backyard of Chong'an Hall is connected to this slightly smaller courtyard house, Shuanghuazhai, which was prepared for the concubine.
But ever since the concubine came to the Duke's mansion, she has been living with the master.
Seeing that the master was enjoying himself, he didn't think about arranging another courtyard for Xue Lanyi.
Why are you suddenly being so wary of each other after living together for over a month?
However, going to Shuanghuazhai is also a good option. It's quiet, warm, and not damp, making it an ideal place for recuperation.
"Send Auntie to Shuanghuazhai," Qingyang instructed Yingqi, then quickly followed Wei Zhang.
Shuanghuazhai is certainly not a cold and desolate house; the courtyard is full of flowers and foliage, with a small bridge and flowing water, making it very pleasant.
However, because the Duke's mansion had few female relatives, the courtyard had been empty for a long time and lacked human warmth, making it much colder than ordinary courtyards.
As night fell, Xue Lanyi was the only one left in the entire house, and the four courtyards seemed empty and desolate.
The wind howled outside, rustling the grass and trees.
In the middle of the night, Xue Lanyi, who had fainted from being soaked by the cold rain, was awakened by the biting cold wind.
Opening my eyes, my still blurry vision revealed the crisscrossing branches and shadows on the window, as if ghosts were lurking there.
"ah!"
Xue Lanyi shuddered and instinctively reached for the other side of the bed.
Over the past three years, she has developed a habit of hugging the man beside her when she is scared.
But it was this man who plunged her into an even deeper sea of suffering.
Her trembling fingertips curled up, then slowly withdrew as she wrapped herself tightly in the blankets.
The surroundings were completely silent, not even the cursing sounds that Yan Chun used to make, only her breathing.
She shrank her neck and trembled like a leaf.
He endured this torment alone, his eyes wide open in the pitch-black room.
As dawn approached, Su Yin entered the house carrying her medicine box.
At this moment, the girl's face was ashen, her lips were dry and chapped, and her eyes were fixed on the window, motionless.
"Auntie, are you alright?" Su Yin stepped forward and grabbed Xue Lanyi's hand.
Her hands were like icicles.
Dead?
The thought flashed through Su Yin's mind in an instant, and with a "buzz," she quickly took her pulse.
Xue Lanyi's stiff fingers finally grasped Su Yin's wrist, and the sound of stiff joints could be faintly heard.
"Auntie, you're still alive..." Su Yin started to say, but then swallowed her words, feeling it was an ominous sign.
"Something came up at home last night and I was delayed in coming to the manor. Please don't be offended." Su Yin secretly tugged at her sleeve to cover the bruises on her forearm.
Unaware, Xue Lanyi's hand touched the wound through her clothes. "It's alright, I'm fine."
Afraid that Su Yin would feel guilty, he forced a smile, his lips moving slightly, and deep wrinkles around his eyes.
Su Yin felt a lump in her throat, unsure whether it was from her own injuries or from Xue Lanyi's near-death state.
She sniffed. "What is the relationship between Aunt and Xiao Cheng? Why must you keep it from the Duke?"
Su Yin naturally did not believe that Xue Lanyi and Xiao Cheng had any affection for each other.
Xue Lanyi's willingness to defy Wei Zhang and remain silent even while being punished in the rain is truly perplexing.
"I have no relation to Xiao Cheng," Xue Lanyi said, shaking her head slightly.
Su Yin was even more surprised.
Looking at her bewildered face, Xue Lanyi said, "I hope Wei Zhang is as unfathomable as you are."
Wei Zhang was a skilled player; he knew every piece on his board intimately.
If Xue Lanyi were to be completely honest with him about everything, she would forever remain a pawn at his fingertips.
Xue Lanyi should not be trapped by him for life.
Therefore, Xue Lanyi deliberately remained ambiguous about Xiao Cheng's matter.
If things are unclear, Wei Zhang's eyes will be blinded.
He senses that the chess pieces are out of control, and he will inevitably keep exploring and examining them, during which his mind will also be in turmoil.
If the player makes a mistake while playing, they are bound to misjudge the situation.
Xue Lanyi could then assess the situation and find an opportunity to escape his control.
"Given Wei Zhang's arrogance, if he fails to uncover the 'relationship' between me and Xiao Cheng for an extended period, he might feign indifference and allow me to marry Xiao Cheng, thus gaining insight into the underlying dynamics."
Xue Lanyi's thin body slumped on the cold, hard wooden bed. She spoke with short, labored breaths, but her voice was clear.
Su Yin found it strange that she heard Aunt Xue and the Duke had argued last night.
If a woman doesn't love someone, she won't even bother to start a conflict.
It turns out that Xue Lanyi deliberately opposed Wei Zhang in order to facilitate the marriage alliance and then escape through it.
Su Yin thought this was a risky move. "Even if the Duke really agrees to your marriage, going to Xiao Cheng's side might not necessarily free you from your misery. Xiao Cheng, he..."
Xiao Cheng's scandalous affairs have been widely circulated.
Xue Lanyi felt a chill run down her spine when she thought of Xiao Cheng and his concubine in the woodshed.
But……
Even though Xiao Cheng is psychologically ill and his methods are twisted, he is still easier to deal with than Wei Zhang, who is ruthless in a subtle way.
"I do not wish to stay by Wei Zhang's side."
A desperate fight is better than feigning affection with Wei Zhang.
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